This opinion piece authored by Janet Dickerson was originally published on November 11, 2016 on Medium.

In many ways, conversations in the aftermath of Trump’s electoral win have felt almost like how people try (and fail) to offer condolences and comfort after the death of a loved one. Trying to talk to others about how to make sense of the shock of it all has been a minefield of well-intentioned but woefully misguided advice, religious pontificating, and tone-deaf sympathies that, frankly, only piss people off more. Here are a few of the absolute worst: